Various BoxBlade Uses

[zeuspaul]

I snapped a ripper on a root...looks just like the broken one in 3RRL's picture. On rocks they generally hit and ride up. Also lost a couple of points. I too get the whole replacement ripper at agri supply for about $15. I bought three and now have no more spares.

As far as *gotta have* in a box blade. I wouldn't be without Top and Tilt and a heavy box. Sometimes I adjust the top as I am cutting...cutting backward on varying sloping ground. There would be no way of doing this manually.

I use the hydraulic rippers less frequently. They are nice but I suppose I could do it manually.

Zeuspaul

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Counter argument is that I paid as much as 4 cheapo TSC boxes...

jb

Then you got yourself a deal, I would have thought that 5-6 times would have been closer, but maybe that is the hydraulic version.

 

[john_bud]

John, thinking about what you said. LOL ... I figure I've still got 2 cheapo boxblades to catch up to you.
Even with what I've got invested in mods on my old Howse. Not so bad in my book. I'll say I've made good use of it too, probably saving quite a bit of dough doing all my own grading and leveling for the house and barn pads. Let alone all the road maintenance I do with it. If you have the means and do it right, I think upgrading the boxblade is worthy of consideration as opposed to spending it up front?

I looked up my actual expenditure

4/10/2001 Gannon "Landscaper" box scraper $1,454.85

It was built to order and was delivered with wet paint in the runs. At the time a "cheapo" was about $350.

You can spend a lot of time upgrading. If you have the time, that's ok. You can also spend a lot of $$ welding on plate and such, which is ok if you have the $ + welder. You can also wind up with a box that is still structurally weak and prone to bending the blade, box or scar bar. If you don't have fab experience you can do a lot of tail chasing !

It's probably 6 of one and half dozen of the other. Also, some think mods are trouble where some see them as relaxation (and we all know which side you fall on!).


MtnViewRanch, The hydraulic was about 400 more if memory serves. It's just a bit of line, some couplers and a cylinder. Easy to retro. Maybe one day when I add rear outlets....
jb

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I looked up my actual expenditure
4/10/2001 Gannon "Landscaper" box scraper $1,454.85
It was built to order and was delivered with wet paint in the runs. At the time a "cheapo" was about $350.
You can spend a lot of time upgrading. If you have the time, that's ok. You can also spend a lot of $$ welding on plate and such, which is ok if you have the $ + welder. You can also wind up with a box that is still structurally weak and prone to bending the blade, box or scar bar. If you don't have fab experience you can do a lot of tail chasing !

It's probably 6 of one and half dozen of the other. Also, some think mods are trouble where some see them as relaxation (and we all know which side you fall on!).


MtnViewRanch, The hydraulic was about 400 more if memory serves. It's just a bit of line, some couplers and a cylinder. Easy to retro. Maybe one day when I add rear outlets....
jb

Does Gannon even have a lower quality box? Everything that I have ever seen from them is heavy duty. My roll-over was also made to order, took about a week I think.

 

[3RRL]

.... Also, some think mods are trouble where some see them as relaxation (and we all know which side you fall on!).

LOL ... Is it that obvious?

 

[john_bud]

Does Gannon even have a lower quality box? Everything that I have ever seen from them is heavy duty. My roll-over was also made to order, took about a week I think.

Yeah, there are mulitple quality grades. The industrial versions are the highest strength. But, in general they make a good overall product line with higher quality than the stuff you will find at the local TSC.

But the price...



Rob, Oh yeah - we've had your type nailed down for a while! I'm just glad you choose to share your obsessions with us!

jb

 

[Charlesaf3]

Lots of good stuff for me, great reading!

The weight makes sense. I've often thought it would be nice if my basic woods box had more weight.

I've no welding skills, so I'm better off buying something that doesn't need mods out of the box. And I can't even begin to express how little I need another project list - I seriously find myself telling the gf "oh, that's around #150 on the project list"... Not to mention you folks out in Cali have a working season that's a smidgeon longer than ours...

So heavy duty is a must. I can see the advantages of a roll over, but is it as strong as a regular box with retractable rippers? I have a separate rear blade.

ANd Top and Tilt is a must, no doubt. Don't have it now, WILL have it on my next tractor.

3RRL, I love to see your road posts, I really learn an incredible amount from them.

 

[3RRL]

3RRL, I love to see your road posts, I really learn an incredible amount from them.

Thanks Charles!
I'm not sure how many I have all together, but I know I have a couple of them bookmarked. If you want links to them, just let me now and I will PM them to you. Plus a lot of that is in my log home thread under "Projects".

BTW, I would sure like to get my hands on that hydraulic PHD you have. I have a Leinbach that I keep shearing bolts on. It's OK, but for what I have coming up a hydraulic PHD would be the cat's meow.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Thanks, it would be great to have the links, I'll send you a PM.

The PHD is great. Be nice to have more torque, but at least when it binds there's no bolts to shear. And the reverse, downpressure, and easy on off are great too - definitely worth it I'd say.

 

[john_bud]

So heavy duty is a must. I can see the advantages of a roll over, but is it as strong as a regular box with retractable rippers? I have a separate rear blade.
.

The good roll over boxes are very strong indeed. Study the woods web page and get one from them or one built the same way (and just as heavy).

jb